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Past Events

2016 Events

"Who are 'We the People'?: Politics of Constitution-making in Postwar Japan and Korea"

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Professor Chaihark Hahm, Yonsei University

What does it mean to say that it is "We the People" who "ordain and establish" a constitution? Who are those sovereign people, and how can they do so? Can a sovereign "people" exist prior to the constitution making process? Interweaving history and theory, Professor Chaihark Hahm discussed these questions by revisiting the constitutional politics of postwar Japan and Korea.

Bearing Witness: Abduction, Coercion, and Japanese Military Sexual Slavery in Korea, 1931-1945

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

From 1931 to 1945, between 100,000 and 200,000 girls and young women were forced into sexual servitude in Japanese military "comfort stations," but only in recent years have survivors begun to come forward to talk about their experiences. The Center for Korean Legal Studies, the Korean Graduate Student Association, and House of Sharing presented a rare opportunity to hear the personal stories of two of the remaining survivors. You can see pictures from the event in our photo gallery.

2015 Columbia-KINU Speaker Series

Engaging North Korea Through Economic Incentives: The Kaesong Industrial Park

December 2, 2015

Dr. Chang-Seok Yang, Auditor, Kaesong Industrial District Foundation

As part of the Columbia-KINU Speaker Series on Inter-Korean Law and Policy, the Center for Korean Legal Studies hosted Dr. Chang-Seok Yang, who spoke about the Kaesong Industrial Park, a joint economic venture between South Korea and North Korea. In the Kaesong Industrial Park, more than 120 South Korean companies employ approximately 53,000 North Korean workers in a variety of industries, giving South Korean companies access to skilled, affordable labor and North Korea access to much needed foreign currency.

Improving Healthcare for Children in North Korea: Implementing Cerebral Palsy Treatment in the DPRK

November 23, 2015

As part of the Columbia-KINU Speaker Series on Inter-Korean Law and Policy, the Center for Korean Legal Studies hosted Dr. Stephen Yoon, the first foreign doctor to receive a Ph.D. from Kim Il Sung University Pyongyang Medical College. He conducts research, trains doctors, and treats children with cerebral palsy.

Foreign Investment and International Arbitration in the DPRK

October 23, 2015

Dr. Michael Hay, Principal, Hay, Kalb & Associates

As part of the Columbia-KINU Speaker Series on Inter-Korean Law and Policy, the Center for Korean Legal Studies hosted Michael Hay, who spoke about recent changes in North Korean law and how those changes affect foreign companies doing business in the DPRK. Hay, Kalb & Associates is the only foriegn law firm and business consulting firm in North Korea. Dr. Hay shared unique insights on his work and experience in one of the world's most elusive legal systems.

Korean Minister of Justice Visits Columbia Law School

November 4, 2015

Hyun-Woong Kim, the Minister of Justice for the Republic of Korea, visited the Law School in conjunction with his donation of 100 books to the Arthur W. Diamond Law Library. While at the Law School he met with Gillian Lester, Dean and the Lucy G. Moses Professor of Law; Kent McKeever; and Jeong-Ho Roh '88, director of the Center for Korean Legal Studies. See photos of the visit.

Inter-Korean Relations and the Unification Process in Regional and Global Contexts

2012 Events

Roundtable:Leadership Succession in North Korea—Regional and Global Implications

The Center for Korean Legal Studies co-sponsored a special roundtable discussion hosted by the Weatherhead East Asian Institute and the Center for Korean Research. It was co-sponsored by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Study Center.

2011 Events

The Center for Korean Legal Studies was proud to support the 2011 Impact Forum on Survivors of WWII Military Sexual Slavery. This event is part of a series of events held in tandem with similar events worldwide marking the 1000th Wednesday survivor's rally on Dec. 14, 2011. Co-Sponsors: Northeast Asian History Foundation, Center for Korean Research, Institute for the Study of Human Rights, Korean American Voter's Council.

Conference: Power Shifts in Northeast Asia

The Center for Korean Legal Studies co-sponsored an all-day conference on approaching leadership changes in Northeast Asia. The event drew more than150 attendees, including specialists and scholars, the general public, and the press. View Columbia Law School's News Release.

2005 Events

Roundtable: New Paradigm for South-North Korean Cooperation: The Incheon-Kaesong Joint Development Zone

Resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue has been and remains one of the greatest priorities on the Korean Peninsula. Even so, significant efforts have been made to foster a climate of cooperation and reconciliation between North and South Korea. Against this backdrop, The Incheon Free Economic Zone has been studying the feasibility of creating a Joint Development Zone with the Kaesong Industrial Zone in the North. The geographic proximity of Incheon and Kaesong, along with their complementary economic activities, presents the possibility of creating a new paradigm for future cooperation between North and South, and has far-reaching implications for inter-Korean relations.

The Future of the Korea-U.S. Alliance

The Center for Korean Legal Studies, Columbia Law School, Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs, and the Korea Society welcomed The Hon. Park Geun Hye, the chairwoman of the Grand National Party of the Republic of Korea.

Honorable Park Geun Hye is the daughter of former President Park Chung Hee. The subject of her lecture was the future of the Korea-U.S. Alliance. Ambassador Gregg and various Korean delegates were in attendance during the lecture.

2004

Roundtable: Series on Korea

The inaugural meeting of the "Roundtable: Series on Korea" was designed to bring together 25 eminent scholars and practitioners engaged in the study of North Korea and inter-Korea relations.